Rabbi is the term used for a religious leader, a wise man, a scholar, and a teacher of the Torah. He leads the service in the synagogue, sometimes assisted by the hazzan or cantor who leads the sung parts of the liturgy. The rabbi takes part in the leadership of the community and looks out for the welfare of its members and their families. He will visit the sick and the infirm, help the indigent and perform the liturgies that accompany the life cycle of the individual from birth to death. The rabbi gives advice and makes pronouncements in complex situations, and answers questions concerning the halacha (Jewish law), jurisprudence and philosophy. In certain circumstances, the rabbi represents the Jewish community to the outside world.
Smicha is the ordination of a rabbi at the completion of studies in the yeshiva or religious school. However, the rabbi really fulfills his calling when he takes part in the synagogue and the Jewish community. Traditionally it was a position held by a man; since the end of the 20th century, there have been increasing numbers of women rabbis.
The historical, sources about Split rabbis are, unfortunately, incomplete. Still, it is possible to collect partial information about a score of rabbis since the end of the 18th century. Some of them are buried in the old Jewish cemetery on Marian Hill.
